The network has been taken since 1968 in several stages in operation. It consists of three inner-city Subway tunnels and surface routes in the outer regions. The aboveground portions have different development standards by the independent road to flush roadbed. The network corresponds to a light rail system

The Frankfurt U-Bahn has nine lines, which are concentrated in the inner city on three routes and 27 Tunnel Stations use and 60 above ground stations.On the 65-kilometer network, in 2009 carried 114 million passengers [1] Recently came on 12 December 2010 with the U8 and U9, two new lines added to the university campus and the development area on the Riedberg open. The U9 is the first Frankfurt U-Bahn line, which does not affect the center of Frankfurt.

On June 6, 2003, the City Council the sale and lease back of the net to a U.S. consortium in connection with a designed a 99-year term Cross-border leasing Treaty. After great opposition from the citizens (the citizens' initiativeSave the U-Bahn "collected 48 000 signatures) the City Council decided on 18 September 2003, the breakdown in negotiations.

By changes in the planning during the long construction period and due to the different histories of the above-ground sections has the power at the Frankfurt U-Bahn in the aerial portions very different development standards.

In the early 1950s were the first plans that would include the time already heavily overburdened streetcar burden. The disputes over the right approach to solve the transport problems culminated in the municipal elections 1964th While the SPD campaigned under the influence of the urban transport department heads and later Mayor Walter Möller for a Subway, spoke of the CDU in favor of underground railway, ie, a partially underground-powered tram. The FDP was in favor of a elevated railway the system Alweg one. The clear victory of the SPD took the decision for a light rail, which should be expanded later to the subway.

Initial plans saw an expansion in several sections: In the first phase should be the first tunnel sections of the city to be built, which should be connected to temporary ramps at the adjacent tram routes. Only in the second construction phase, the tunnel will be extended beyond the inner city, and connect to the urban rail system suitable developed above-ground lines in the suburbs, the third construction phase could then make the change from light rail to the metro, the completely independent of the roadshould operate in tunnels, cuttings and embankments. After the opening of the first light rail line in 1968 However, there was opposition to these plans as the separated by fences above ground sections and the adjacent tunnel ramps damaged the city.Therefore, we went in the 1970s are starting to give up the first stage and build the tunnel with the same length as finally planned. Where a further construction until the planned end state was not yet possible, light rail lines ended up temporarily in underground stations.

reversed since the summer of 2008, up to this point pure tunnel line U4 from its former end point on the Seckbacher Landstrasse in Frankfurt-Bornheim continue to Schäfflestraße in Riederwald, where they existing operating tracks on the Depot uses East. This first trial extension was secured by the end of 2008 and extended the timetable until after Enkheim.
Five lines, in their above-ground sections of junctions on the individual and Querungsmöglichkeien for pedestrians. The surface section of the U1 between Roman town and Ginnheim is built as a elevated railway. The aboveground portions of the lines U2 and U3 originally by the Frankfurt branch line. They are predominantly criteria for Railway expanded (partly independent street routing, secure barrier railway crossings). Until the 1980s there was even transport. The criteria of a light rail correspond mainly to the above-ground sections of the lines U6 and U7. The line U5 is largely a streetcar, which shared two kilometers of the tunnel U4 and can be therefore referred to as U-tram.

The separation of the tram and metro moves forward, not least because of the introduction of low-floor vehicles in the tram and the conversion of above-ground subway stops on high platforms, enabling the vehicles to each other no longer easily compatible. The two networks originally used classical light rail vehicles of the typePttherefore had to be rebuilt (typePtb) for the metro operation, the unreconstructed Pt were retired by the end of March 2007. Essentially, the system separation is on the line U5 pending (see Metro Line B.)

The route network consists of nine lines U1 to U9. The trains run in a local transport company of the traffiQ designed clock schedule. The bars vary according to the different traffic times peak hours (peak hours), off peak time (NPCs) and low-traffic time (SVZ).

All routes in the common portion of the base line by a half or third of clock offset, the result that in the rush hour on the base paths A and B, a single 2 ½-minute intervals and on the base line C is a 3 ½-minute intervals.
In the rush hour train leaves one in three - otherwise every other train - the line U4 to Enkheim, the other end in Bornheim. The lines U4 and U5 drive to the Hessian summer holidays in the peak hours only in the 7 ½-minute intervals.

The route network consists of three sections "A", "B" and "C". Sections, which are driven by several lines, as'basic line "or" trunk line "means. Each base line branches into several"connecting lines", each of which is traversed by only one line and are sometimes referred to as"upgraded lines'. In addition to the three existing lines, a fourth path is provided, the D-line . The distance from this previously completed two short sections are not connected on lines A and B-course. Often these parts are not explicitly distinguished, but in each case the A-and B-route add count, since they form a unit operationally.

The terms"basic track"and"connecting line"and their names are based on the name of the construction stages. Sections of the basic tracks were performed with the respective letter of the line and a trailing Roman numeral means - portions of the connecting lines with a Arabic numeral. The name of the branch lines to "A1", "A2" and "B1" was used in the first ten years of operation and the appointment of the lines.

↑ 1.01.11.2 Basic Course A really begins at the stationwhite stone. There goes the route connecting the A1 in the basic route. Between the stationsHeddernheimer highwayandZeilwegopens the connection route A3 A1 in the connection route. The connecting line between the stations is A2 Zeilweg'andHeddernheimon the connecting line A1. For simplicity it is assumed in this table that all three feeder lines connected to the station Heddernheim'A path to the base. The station Zeilweg'is thus exceptionally, two connecting lines assigned.

↑ The basic route C is actually about the stationZooadditionto the Ostbahnhof. Since this section of line operationally equivalent to a connecting line, it is listed in the table of connecting lines toCIV.

↑ The section between home and Ginn Heddernheimer highway was gradually built since 1968 and until December 12, 2010 as a A branch of the route served. On the section Wiesenau - Riedberg U8 reinforced by the line. The plan identified DII section was discarded, and is currently being discussed with the new route as Ginnheimer curve.

The A-line with its three connecting lines comprises about half of the Frankfurt U-Bahn network and already united the whole range of development standards, it combines subway, elevated train, railroad, light rail and tram sections.

The A section is the main north-south axis in city traffic and runs from the South Station by the City and the Escher Landstraße for Heddernheim . There, it divides into two branches, according to Oberursel | lead (U2) (U3) and the city limits of [Bad Homburg] [Bad Homburg]. The main line has nine underground and four above criteria developed by Metro underground stations.

The construction of the A-line began in 1963. Originally it was planned, the route from the city center until after Eschersheim to build the stationwhite stonein the tunnel. For financial reasons, however, was only the southern section of the tunnel built and the route north of the | out [[All Frankfurter Ring] Miquelallee] on a ramp to the surface. In the course of the route is at ground level on the median of the Escher Landstraße. Despite the above-ground routing stations were built very expensive and had large underground distribution bullets and occasionally was also the ground-level access via traffic light possible. The main lines were also fenced for security on both sides, one crossing the road has since been backed up traffic lights for pedestrians only a few places available.

The first line ran from the main station to the northwest city and was opened on 4 October 1968. They had five underground stations in the city (Main Guard, Eschenheimer Tor, Grüneburgweg, HolzhausenstrasseandMiquel-/Adickesallee) and the underground terminusNorthwestin the same city housing estate. The new line, calledA1, drove vehicles of the typeU2(see below). As a depot of the Underground was the custodian of the municipal tram Heddernheim. The old parking hall in Eschersheim from the time of local line has been separated from the track network. The hall still stands, even if it no longer recognizes its original use.

Simultaneously, the tram lines were laid 23, 24 and 25 in the new tunnel. The vehicles in the underground tram lines were "common tunnel" made, that is, they were widening the doors to bridge the gap between (too narrow) and vehicle platform. Unlike the subway this U-tram s did not end at the main police station, but reached via a ramp at the Great Winchester Street again the tram network of the city.

In 1971, the former [[tram Bad Homburg | streetcar 25] in Bad Homburg] was to Gonzenheim withdrawn. The "temporary" station of the new metro line A 2 has to this day.

1973 in the city, the U-Bahn station to the theaterspace(1992Willy-Brandt-Platz) extended. There, after the opening of the first section of the B-course was built in 1974, a transfer station.

extended | 1974, the tunnel in the northwest city was a station to the [Roman city] [settlement Roman city].

In 1978 the line was a section of elevated railway to the tram terminus in Ginnheim extended.
That same year, the route of the former Oberurseler local train to the metro network was taken over. The two new Taunus lines were also now operated by vehicles of the typeU2. The combined operation with underground trams were abandoned, the tunnel ramp at the Great Winchester Street shut down, the gain lineA4accounted for. The tunnel current tram cars were built back in the tram service.

In 1975 construction began on the southern extension of the A-line under the Main through the Sachsenhausen. This part was taken on September 29, 1984, and contained two underground stations,Swiss courtand South Station . At South Station was built after the completion of the S-Bahn tunnel under the main round (1990), another connecting point between the two rapid transit networks.

The extension to Sachsenhausen reached the A-route network extending them to 2009. Apart from the merger of two stations and the establishment of a new in Oberursel and the construction of the high stationNiddaparkthe National Garden Festival in 1989 there was no further increase.

In the 1990s and 2000s, construction activity limited to the A-line largely on the alignment of platform heights. The aim is to bring all the platforms to a uniform height of 80 cm above rail level. In the above-ground stations, this was ground-level access to the system (through pedestrian traffic lights) associated. Some stations of Frankfurt's oldest subway line were also renovated and transformed (such as the stationsGrüneburgweg,HeddernheimandNorth West Centre) or provided with elevators(Holzhausenstrasse).

On 30 June 2008 construction began on the D-IV section of line on the Riedberg. The new housing development Riedberg since the timetable change on 12 December 2010 with two new stations on another branch of the A-route to downtown and the North West city bound. U8's 12.3 kilometer line runs between South Station and the station Riedberg. It uses up all the stations of the U3 Niederursel before it turns behind the station to the north-east and reaches the station campus Riedberg the new terminus Riedberg. The 10.3 km long line U9 starts at the terminus of the U1 in Ginn's home and goes to the station with this Heddernheimer road before it turns towards Wiesenau. She then combined with the U8 to Riedberg and travels from there via Kalbach after low-Eschbach. The route between the Kalbach and low-Eschbach together with the U2.

In Sachsenhausen, in the coming years, no further construction to expect the ending there lines. Since 2007, ending in planning the features to the U2 track called Prince in Bahnhof Bad Homburg leave. The route runs from the current terminus in Gonzenheim in a 350 meter long tunnel to be lowered, and pass under parallel [] [railway] to the highway, the Frankfurt-Bad Homburg Friedrichsdorf. Then it is to be introduced to the embankment and parallel to the existing rail line on the level of the Long Mile and the feeder road to the S-Bahn and Taunusbahn cross. [2] In June 2010, should the [[zoning] PROCEDURE OF] . [3]

The B-course consists of two branches. In one is the least developed section of the Frankfurt U-Bahn-network: The line used by the U5'branch of Preungesheim is a tram that a piece of U-Bahn shared tunnel - a relic of the mixing operation in the 1970s.

The line now includes ten'U4 tunnel railway stations and five light rail stations. It begins in the district of Enkheim above ground and travels through the Riederwald for Bornheim under leaves near the historic center, the shopping street Straße and reached the Friedberger Anlage Frankfurter City. At the Konstablerwache is a connecting point to other rapid transit. can then be switched to the A-line Subsequently the | Old City runs beneath it, on [Willy-Brandt-Platz] [Willy-Brandt-Platz (Frankfurt)]. After passing under the station district to achieve the U-Bahn Central Station, the most important nodes in regional and long distance services. The last to D-line counting pieces to Bock Warte is Frankfurt's recent underground tunnel. Through him also the Messe Frankfurt will be developed.

The U5outas a tram through the districts of Preungesheim and Eckenheim, first on a track independent body. After the Main Cemetery and Adickesallee of Linienweg runs in the middle of the road between the two carriageways of the motor vehicle traffic through the downtown district of Northrend. Through a tunnel ramp in the ramparts, another long-lived temporary, they reached the tunnel Konstablerwache where it ended by 1998. Since then, the U5 goes on under the old town through to the main station. On the U5 has since used thetypePt converted tramway compatible light rail vehicles of the typePtb. The gap between vehicles in road width and the platforms of underground stations is balanced by stems in the door area.

The C-track is an important east-west axis in the Frankfurt city traffic. It has in the densely built-up, inside urbanized districts twelve among underground stations, including the two together with the City Tunnel used transport S-Bahn four-track stations Hauptwache andKonstablerwache ' '. At the tunnel close to the west to the east another two and one level underground route.

The western branch branches starting in Praunheim and Hausen. At the station Industriehof meet the two track branches and run into the tunnel by Bockenheim to Bock Warte, where on the U4 line operated by the D-line can be switched. The Westend is in the course ofBockenheimer road crosses underand the Old Opera Housereached the city of Frankfurt. In a joint with the S-Bahn used four-track tunnel will be located under the rowmain transport hub stationandhitKonstablerwache. In the three-track station Zoo, the C-tunnel divides into two branches. The southern end one stop at the Ostbahnhof , the north through the Ostend and Bornheim to Ice Rink. At the local end of the tunnel is followed by a light rail line that follows the road on alder and Borsigallee and after six above-ground stations in Enkheim expires.

The construction of the C-section was in mining and excavation took so much more considerate of the existing urban fabric than the earlier works. The core of the C-section, the Zeiltunnel was already in the construction of the City Tunnel, the S-Bahn was built with. At that joined in the east only a short distance until the provisional terminusZooat. To the west of the tunnel followed the same route as the very first (1872) horse car stretch of the city. When was the architecture of the subway stations in far greater degree than previously set in an attractive design value. On Industriehof were connected by a ramp, two former streetcar tracks, which were first converted only partially to light rail standards. With the opening of the C-section toZooat October 11, 1986 Originally, the concept of a Rail Free City can be realized.

The extension of the C-route by the Ostend after Enkheim opened in 1992 after seven years of construction and will be run from the line since U7. The above-ground route is also a converted tram route.

The most recent extension of the C-track was the extension of line U6'toone stop from Zooto'East Station, which went into operation in 1999. Meanwhile, the second of three underground stations, this station in Frankfurt was a glass ceiling and direct light to enter.

The 20-year-old track is still in need of rehabilitation. The only major improvement measure on the C-track was 2004, the conversion of the above-ground connecting line of the line'U6. The stations were equipped with high platforms. An exception is the station stone fish, which is expected to published in December 2010 in the direction Industriehof and then also have high platforms as the last station of the C-section is. Since the fish stone by summer 2010 there was still a low platform to be on the lineusedU6 still light rail vehicles of the type'Ptb with folding steps.

Currently, there are plans, the route branches at each of its ends to the east and west to expand. The largest expansion, the extension of the U6 for Fechenheim and may continue to Hanau, is competing to build the North's main train route. The construction of these routes is unlikely and is not pursued in part.

The first phase, almost all stations in the city center. City Council Walter Möller adopted in 1962 the planning orders for the model train station Eschenheimer Gate(A). By default, was clearly given that the Frankfurt train stations are very different from those of the Hamburg U-Bahn to distinguish or Berlin U-Bahn. Of the six architectural firms were invited to the four-part order, the designs were each rewarded with 5,000 marks.

In early 1963 they came to the conclusion that the design of the architect Wolfgang Bader and Artur Walter, the Frankfurt U-Bahn representing best. The initial stages are characterized by the plates from the sculptor Inge Hagner, which represented the timeless and easy to process but were. Each station was given its own color code:

The stations Grüneburgweg and North West City (now the North West Centre) were later converted and lost their enamel plates. It was the blue (!) Wall cladding of the station Grüneburgweg "replaced by a green wall covering of ceramic tiles.

Also the lines got their color code:

Color

Target

-

Red

North West city, Oberursel

-

Green

Bonames, Bad Homburg

The length of the bars on the station name is the passenger information, where to find the nearest exit. Transfer stations as the main guard had red pillars, and the remaining stations gray.

This color scheme was applied only at the first stage of the A-line. Even at the station theaterspaceone has solved it. The stations of the B route were flat concrete washing. The ceilings are low, narrow platforms, branching the routes often confusing and hard. The elaborate stationDom / Römerreceived only by careful subsequent rebuilding their present form. When reminiscence to the former town later spoils s were built of destroyed buildings.

In particular, the construction of the C-track was the architecture of the stations is an important issue. As with subway stations in other cities the same time, the design point to the environment. The result is often colorful, the design quality, however, quite different. The above-described stationsOld OperaandlikelyWest End are among the most noteworthy, the latter with its simple beauty points to the aesthetics of the third phase of construction at the turn of the millennium. Responsible for both stations was the architectural firm of AC Walter. In Westend is created pillars that are reminiscent of palm trees, and Station Alte Oper rather stylish to the Renaissance of the opera house is ajar. This station is the first completely column-free underground station in Frankfurt online.

In the two years previously opened extension of the A-line to Sachsenhausen is especially remarkable in the fully driven in two tunnel tubes with distant space station createdSwiss court. The deep arch-like in the ground station located mediating the spatial impression of a three-nave Romanesque crypt, as the building of a road.There is even the statue: behind the track leading into town, the Saint Barbara, is the patron saint of the Miners and the tunnel builders. This was the architect Willy Orth responsible, who also designedstationon the church square C-section with their sacred blind arches.

The Opened in 1992, extending the C-section for Ice Rink was less unusual design accents than the stations in the West and fixed home, also in 1990 has substantially put into service will be undergroundOstendstraßethe S-Bahn higher creative autonomy. At the C-section to the east all the stations were created in the same way, they differ primarily only in their coloring and the wall design.

[[Image: U-Bahn station North West Centre (London) jpg | thumb | The rebuilt subway station North West Centre].]

Color

Station

-

Green

Habsburgerallee

-

Yellow

Parliament Square

-

Red

Ice Rink

Another example of independent design, the station isNorth West Centre. Created in 1989 with funding from the adjacent Shopping Center completely renewed. It was covered with marble, and received a glass window of the B level to the platform.

be regarded as the beginning of the third phase Frankfurt underground train stations opened in 1995, the S-Bahn line by Offenbach am Main. The identical with each other Tunnel StationsKaiserlei,Leather Museum and Offenbach marketplace have a continuous barrel vault, branch off from the two ends of the stairs and elevators. The platform as a whole is visually detected from above. The station Kaiserlei'had the first direct daylight to the platform. The U-Bahn station Ostbahnhof'(1999) followed this model.

Received positive reviews, especially the two latest stations of the network,Fair / Festival HallandBockenheimer wait(D), which are designed with high ceilings and rough concrete. At the station show the lighting design was adjusted so that the visitors are automatically routed to the correct output. This would indeed appear brighter and wider than in the other direction, leading outHohenstaufenstraße. The outputinto the European quarteris still closed and left in the shell. Once the area is built on, will open this.

In the station waiting Bockenheimer supposed to, as early as 1986 opened in the part of the station, created on the platform, a magazine for the University Library. As the University of the location of Bock's home in the years to give up, the plans were dropped and there was the high platform area.

The Heddernheim , depot north of the same station, houses the cars of the A-lines (U1 to U3). The depot is located directly on the A-line following the railway station Heddernheim. The depot has existed since 1910, always served the Frankfurt tram and was shut down when the first subway line 1968 their depot. He has since been on the former premises of the company and fertilizers Schuessler expanded and is now on both sides of the tracks.

The East depotin | was Frankfurt-Seckbach Seckbach opened in 2003 and has since become the home of the vehicles in the B and C lines ( U4 and U7) and the tram lines 12 and 14 The depot has rail connections to the stations Seckbacherroad(B-course) andJohanna-Tesch-PlatzorSchäfflestraße(C-section).

[[Image: Frankfurt U-Bahn turning system Seckbacher Landstrasse.jpg | thumb | left |reversing systemSeckbacher road that was used prior to completion of the BB East as a parking area for the U4].]

More parking facilities are located at individual stations, which are also regularly termini:Seckbacher road,South StationandZoo(all underground) station and Oberursel'andhigh road( above ground). A special feature is near the underground stationEschenheimer door(in the directionGrüneburgweg), where a shift system was also used for termination of a train overnight. Only at South Station in the winter months off (to replace the parking area not used in winter Roman city) trains. At all other parking facilities are being planned latter no longer trains parked overnight.

The opening of the depot East was an important step for the separation of buses and tram network. Previously, the vehicles of the B and C lines had to after closing, sometimes in the middle of rush hour, on tram tracks across town to her (tram) depots Gutleutand Eckenheimin procedure, an operationally unsatisfactory condition, which is now largely complete.

Urban and tram use, in addition to the workshops of the depots, together thelight rail central workshop(Area of ​​concentration) for major work on the vehicles. It is located in the district of Rödelheim on thehigh road, according to the same terminus of the U6 line to a branch of the C-section. However, it can be approached in part on operating routes, including from the A-and B-line from.

For the pure underground operation so far four different six-axle vehicles were used, three of which are still used today. The series are denoted by the letter U and a serial number. Since the upgrade of the line designations of A / B / C to U (1978) there is a likelihood of confusion between theLinienbezeichnungen (U1 to U7) and theFahrzeugbaureihen (U1 to U5). Complementing the car park by the seriesPtb(formerlyPt), an eight-axle for operation on unpaved street railways improved rail cars with folding steps.

The driving voltage is 600 to 800 volts DC, the power supply is more than upper management. The subway cars are 2.65 meters wide, the trams only 2.35 meters.The currently used vehicles are all equipped with two cabs (two-way car). They are - apart from the combination of U4-U5 - only with the same type of car coupled. The subway cars on regular operation in trains consisting of up to four railcars. The beststehenden of former trams trains with a maximum of three railcars. The vehicles will be connected automatically with Scharfenberg coupling en. During the ongoing daily operations can therefore be shortened trains requirements, or extended. The presence or hanging by a shunting of wagons takes about 90 seconds. Passengers can remain in this period (except in the car to be suspended) on the train.

From that of DUEWAG developed and manufactured six-axis | (first presented at the International Transport Exhibition 1965 in Munich) light rail -[[ prototype (engineering)] prototypes] were only two cars built which were based largely on previously supplied trams. New were the electronic control system of the type Simatic and the possibility to couple several railcar train sets can be. The two vehicles designated asU1was the world's first real rail cars, mass production, however, remained under. They were mainly for Driving School - use the test drive s and reversed a few years in regular service. They were stopped in 1976 because they were incompatible with other subway cars. A copy was obtained, it is since 1986 in the Transport Museum to visit in [Schwanheim] [Frankfurt am Main | | ]]-[[ Frankfurt Frankfurt-Schwanheim]. With the U1-car and various color schemes have been tried. They were red and white (the color of the later U2-Wagen), blue and white (which was never used), fully red (experimental paint, only to 1968) painted in its original color and beige with green stripes.

The experience made with the two prototypes had a number of changes resulted. The U2 Series vehicles were built from 1968 to 1978 in large quantities (97 units) of DUEWAG. It was 1968, the initial supply of the Frankfurt U-Bahn and operates today in the sub-classU2H U1 still on the lines, and in the sub-typeU2E on the lines U4 and U7. Five vehicles were destroyed in 1980 with a major fire in the grounds of the depot Heddernheim. These were replaced in the years 1984/1985 through seven identical clones. Since 2009, the trains out of service and replaced by the new U5-vehicles. TwelveU2h cars were converted for use on the lines U4 and U7. Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag.
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At the opening of Bornheimer subway line U4 1980 Frankfurt received these new vehicles (27 units) by the manufacturer DUEWAG who drive today only on this line.The U3-type with the numbers from 451 to 477th A second, much larger series should be ordered in 1986 for use on the C-section, for cost reasons, the plan was dropped, however.

The vehicles are designed solely for the underground operation and designed in a lighter design than its predecessor, U2, carrying through the operation of above-ground light rail lines a much higher risk of accidents with motor vehicles. In contrast to the U2 and P types, the vehicle front of glass-reinforced plastic show, the car bodies consist of type U3 entirely of steel.

The vehicles have an entry-level / floor height of 97 cm and are thus designed for up to 87 cm high platforms. They have been delivered a completely ground-level interior. In this way, the doors were in contrast to the type U2 be more evenly distributed over the length of the vehicle. There are no more steps to make the placement of the entrance doors, a rear view of the trucks required.

The vehicles have now all been repainted in the color "Subaru-vista-blue". As with the vehicles of the type U2E was in each car on a pair of doors, the center bar removed to create a barrier-free entry.

In the 1990s, were in operation at night breaks with two specially converted car of this type (No. 476 and 477) on the B-course successfully completed testing for driverless driving. In actual use with passengers, the system never came. The vehicles were dismantled after the tests again.

The vehicles were prepared as the completeBsection in a state of power supply through a bus bar. However, there are no plans, the current overhead line sbetrieb give up.

The series, a development of type U4 U3, technically and visually but especially with the trams of the R type is used. The 39 vehicles were developed as a most recent series for Frankfurt and Siemens DUEWAG and 1994-1998 supplied. They currently only operate on the A-line, mainly on the U2. The vehicles are designed for a platform height of 80 cm, have a ground-level interior space and allow all doors barrier free entry.

The U5 series is the newest type of vehicle. It was first advertised internationally and in 2005 at the Manufacturers |, where Bombardier Transportation Bombardier in order that the tender with the model Flexity Swift has won. A total of 146 vehicles were ordered. The first were delivered in May 2008 and used since September 2008, the last to be delivered 2015th The series is like its predecessor of two-part, six-axle articulated truck. However, there is next to 54 classical Bi-directional vehicle s the first time in Frankfurt, a second version with 92 new device vehicle s. This has indeed become a single cab and a passage at the other end.Allegedly in regular operation, two ply version of this form together a continuous double walk-in unit length (a total of 46 double units). These two variants with the provisional working title U5-25 U5-called 50, which is derived from the length of the trains in meters. The vehicles will be compatible U4 on the series in order to achieve maximum operational flexibility. While the external appearance of the U4-Wagen was adjusted, the interior design is based on the trams of the S series.

The envisaged expansion mentioned in the beginning planning to join newly-built tunnel to existing streetcar routes. Since these should be converted for reasons of cost usually not for use of 2.65-m-wide light rail vehicles, both some trams have been modified for the tunnel used (type "Mt" and its sidecar, type "mt"), as well as new light rail vehicles of the type "Pt" purchased, which could run thanks to folding steps in both the tram network and on the tunnels. In the VÖV statistics being fed even as subway cars.

Tests with two three-part "N" cars (cars 801 and 802) did not go satisfactorily, they were therefore not in a mixed mode is used.

The medium-term expansion plan is to equip all light rail lines with 80 cm high platforms, a liberal use of the series to allow U3 to U5 in all lines.

The lines A3 and A4 were up in 1978 with six-axle, two-part U-trams of type'Matthew (with sidecarmt') operated. This, from streetcar cars of the type M refurbished trains were with folding steps and flares on the side of the door, so-called "window boxes" equipped to bridge the gap between the 2.35-meter-wide cars and the paid for 2.65-meter-car platforms to close. For this modification, the first and the last door of the M-car was transformed into leaf, as it would otherwise have been problems in the gauge and the vehicle rejuvenation.After completion of the underground tram operation on the lineA-all cars were built back to normal trams.

The underground tram line U5, the Konstablerwache between the stations and the central station the tunnel of the B-route used, is a relic of this mixing operation. The used cars of the 1972 imported typePt 1998, also received "window boxes" to operate in mixed mode with the 30 inches wider cars of the U4 can.

This widened vehicles of the typePtb Airport are still on the line U6, since the station wasFishstone yet been converted to high-level platforms. Frequently, individual courses are run on the line U4, U7 they operate on the other hand, only very rarely. The PTB-car, in the coming years will be replaced by 2.65 m wide vehicles of the type U5.

The Frankfurt U-Bahn is not one of the great and famous metro networks in the world.It nevertheless has some characteristics found in the subway construction rarely, there are negative and the decades-long persistence of unsatisfactory temporary or positive as some original technical solutions.

System Question: The cause of the current coexistence of different development standards, one of the most common with the Frankfurt network associated properties, was the initial desire to take advantage of completed tunnel sections equal to the existing tram network, rather than to unrelated Underground stretch first create a torso. What one hand, useful sounds, led throughout to numerous problems and would be today may be different has been decided: the operation of overhead line leads to higher construction and maintenance costs, by cutting through the above-ground sections of whole districts, which crosses with the road leading to regularly major accidents and delays.

Long-lived temporaries situations as the existing since 1974 Tunnel ramp of U5 in the city center, the only provisionally planned above-ground route in the Eschersheimer highway or the lines of U2 in Bad Homburg, which neither the city yet reached the station are consequences of the described piecemeal development, which remained stuck at these points, however: relics from the early 70s.

Double-storey tunnels and stations: An original solution for tunneling in narrow roads are the routes in the Berger Street (stopsMerianplatz,high roadandBornheim Mitte) and The stop in the same'Leipziger Strasse, which have two single-track trails or tunnels on the platform today.

Daylight in the background: Since the 90's are popular with construction of Frankfurt underground station glass roof to let the natural light to fall onto the platform to find the stationsMesse / Festhalle(B / D) ,'East Station (C), andOffenbach'sKaiserlei (S-Bahn).

Integration with the S-Bahn: The rail network is connected to the rail network of the S-Bahn in the downtown area through a common tunnel link under the line where the train station ' 'Konstablerwache holdS-and U-Bahn on the same platform, a situation that exists in Germany only in Cologne-Chorweiler , on Berlin U-Bahn station and Wuhletal on Munich U-Bahn station South is Neuperlach. In Frankfurt takes actually intended for the suburban train stations with dense spacing and intra-urban linkage function. Sections, such as between South Station and Rödelheim or between Central Station and Offenbach-Ost created more like another inner-city subway line than like a classical S-Bahn.

Platform length: All of the A-track tunnel stations are suitable for trains with a maximum of 4 cars. The first completed Miquel-/Adickesallee station was still on the shorter overall length of the U1-cars have been planned starting. It is true that even four cars of the slightly longer typeU2hold on the platform, but not four carriages of the even longertypesandU4 U5because it is the last door of the train in the tunnel to a halt . An extension of the platform is waived for cost reasons, but instead, the affected electronic door locks, if such a train starts moving the station Miquel-/Adickesallee. Passengers will be with the announcement"For technical reasons, be at the station Miquel-/Adickesallee the last door of this train is not open."And informed by signs to the tunnel wall on the specificity.

City of Frankfurt am Main (eds):overall transport plan Frankfurt am Main, Report 2004'(Download PDF 25 MB) . Study commissioned by the city planning office to the future development of transport networks in Frankfurt.

Anton Wiedenbauer / Hans-Jürgen Hoyer:proceed in the future - the history of the Frankfurt tram, Frankfurt, 1968

[Http://ffm.tramania.de/ reports on the construction of D-Tunnel, East depot etc.]

[Http://urbanrail.net/deutschland/f/frankfurt.htm Frankfurt at urbanrail.net] ("standard works" of the German U-Bahn in the world)

[Http://railfaneurope.net/pix/de/trams/Frankfurt-M/pix.html Various images of vehicles and stations in Frankfurt and many more Cities]

[Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtHa_ytuJQY Hessenschau report on the opening of the Frankfurt U-Bahn (U1, U2 and U3)]

[Http://www.hr-online.de/website/rubriken/nachrichten/indexhessen34938.jsp?key=standard_document_40353041&jmpage=1&type=v&rubrik=62563&jm=1&mediakey=fs/allgemein/20101209_101209_buddeln_fuer_die_bahn digging for the web] " state of emergency because of subway construction in Frankfurt. " The hr-series "pretty long time ago" from 2002 looks back. </ Small>